Sports Events 365 | French Ligue 1 tickets | Buy tickets for French Ligue 1 Fixtures - Sports Events 365 French Ligue 1 French Ligue 1 The French League (Formally Ligue 1) is the top football league in France. It was founded in 1932, originally under the name National. The league’s most successful club is Saint-Étienne who has won the trophy 10 times, although the most recent of which was in 1981. Many of the world’s greatest players have played in the French league before moving on to other European giants. Thierry Henry started his career at AS Monaco, which was then managed by Arsene Wenger. Henry made 105 league appearances for the club. Zinedine Zidane played for Cannes and Girondins de Bordeaux before joining Juventus while Ronaldinho made his name at Paris Saint-Germain before moving to FC Barcelona. 4 French teams have made it to the final of the European Cup and the Champions League.

Stade de Reims in 1959, Saint Etienne in 1976, Marseille in 1991 and AS Monaco in 2004. But so far, no French team has won the title. Olympique Lyonnais (Also known as Lyon) which dominated Ligue 1 in the 2000s, won the league title 7 consecutive times between 2002 and 2008 and firmly established itself as Ligue 1’s top club, ahead of Olympique Marseille and Bordeaux. More recently, however, there are two new powerhouses in French football. Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco have been granted huge budgets by big-money owners which allowed them to invest heavily in world class talents. The signings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani and David Luis have transformed Paris Saint-Germain into a European giant, competing for the UEFA Champions League title and reaching steadily the quarter finals. In the local Ligue 1, PSG is the title holder for the second consecutive time. AS Monaco’s transition is still ongoing.

This year might be a 'financial year' after selling James Rodriguez to Real Madrid and loaning Radamel Falcao to Manchester United. Still, AS Monaco has Dimitar Berbatov and João Moutinho and could be a contender for the higher positions in the league. Other stand out performers currently playing in Ligue 1 include Saint Etienne’s Loic Perrin, Montpellier’s Remy Cabella and Toulouse’s young, versatile defender, Serge Aurier. The biggest win in Ligue 1 history was Sochaux’ 12-1 win over Valenciennes in the 1935-36 season. Goalkeeper Mickaël Landreau has made the most appearances in Ligue 1 history with over 600, and is still currently playing for Bastia. Delio Onnis is the highest goal scorer in the competition’s history with 299 for AS Monaco. Since 2006 SportsEvents365 is proud to be the most reliable ticket broker in the market with our "Supply Guarantee" policy. Every order is handled by one of our sales representative to ensure the best customer care possible. Don't wait!

Buy your Ligue 1 tickets today from SportsEvents365. Our variety of Ligue 1 tickets feature no hidden fees. French Ligue 1: Season 2009-10 Preview - Goal.com French Ligue 1: Season 2009-10 Preview Featured 0 Aug 3, 2009 13:00:31 The kick-off to Le Championnat is now less than one week away. Goal.com's Robin Bairner examines the sides aiming to strip Bordeaux of their French crown... Top signing: Alexandre Licata Objective: A high mid-table finish The Burgundy outfit finished last season in extremely strong form, with the influence of Ireneusz Jelen particularly obvious. There have been few changes in personnel in the side, and they will be looking to secure a comfortable mid-table position. Occasionally suspect defensively, and perhaps lacking a little depth in that area, AJA will be too good to find themselves in the pickle that they threatened to get into last term.

Youngster to watch: Guillaume Borne Top signing: Frederic Da Rocha Objective: Avoiding the drop Very much the gate crashers in this season’s Ligue 1 campaign, Boulogne sneaked into the top flight courtesy of a fantastic late run to secure promotion from Ligue 2 in this place last season. The Breton club would generally be considered the likeliest team for the drop having occupied the final promotion spot but their great momentum carried through from last year could give them a shot at staying up. Youngster to watch: Sofiane Feghouli Top signing: Sandy Paillot Objective: Build on last season’s solid perfomances. Very much favourites for the drop this time last year, a combination of courageous defending and effective offensive set-plays kept GF38 afloat. They made a great start to last season, giving them a good cushion on the relegation zone that only occasionally looked likely to be eaten up. Head coach Mehmet Bazdarevic will hope to maintain the tenacity the side showed last season, though he will also want his men to show a little more offensive potency to excite the fans.

Youngster to watch: Herold Goulon Top signing: Didier Ovono Objective: Beat away the threat of relegation Threats of another great wave of key men leaving Le Mans this summer have not totally been realised, though the Sarthe outfit will likely face another awkward season. Last term was very uncomfortable for MUC, who actually started the season in brilliant fashion. Le Mans quickly ran out of steam and went on a mammoth winless run in the heart of the season. Off-field activities certainly did not help, as Le Mans had three coaches in all. Under Portuguese boss Paulo Duarte, things should be more settled, though the squad would appear to be in a weaker state. Vital | Coutadeur (right) will play a key role for MUC Youngster to watch: Kevin Monnet-Paquet Top signing: Eduardo Objective: Mid-table obscurity Relegated from Ligue 1 little over 12 months ago, Lens bounced back into the top flight courtesy of a strong performance in Ligue 2 last season. Ultimately the side from the football-mad northern French city won the title, but they might have expected to have done so a little more comfortably given the calibre of their side.

The ability in the team should be enough to heave them to a decent league position, as thy possess a wealth of top flight experience. Youngster to watch: Eden Hazard Top signing: Gervinho Objective: A Europa League spot The off-season has been a rather unusual break for Lille, and especially Rudi Garcia, who was initially deposed of his role at the club only to be asked to rejoin them a matter of hours later. This turbulent episode did not reflect upon Lille’s previous campaign, during which they perfromed steadily to reach the Europa League, seemingly improving on a consistent basis throughout the season. LOSC always proved to be a difficult side to beat, particularly at home, though they drew on too many occasions, something they will be keen to eliminate this term. Youngster to watch: Kevin Gameiro – the only member of the first team under 23! Top signing: Maxime Baca Objective: A mid-table finish Christian Gourcuff’s side have always been tipped to struggle since their rise into Ligue 1, and this season is no different for the Breton outfit, who appear to have be crucially weakened in key areas.

Last season, Lorient enjoyed one of their best seasons in the top flight to date, but it will be tough for them to follow that up. War Cry | Gameiro is gearing up for another goal-packed season with Lorient Youngster to watch: Nicholas Nkoulou Top signing: Djimi Traore – their only signing Objective: A comfortable mid-table finish Since reaching the Champions League final in 2004 under Didier Deschamps, Monaco have been on a steady decline. That trend was not arrested last season, and as a result, head coach Ricardo was allowed to leave at the end of the campaign. The Brazilian’s defensive style did not endear himself a great deal to the Stade Louis II club, but Guy Lacombe’s approach is only slightly more offensive. Monaco have also had their struggles in the transfer market, with a move for Steve Savidan falling through due to heart concerns suffered by the Caen striker. This is a bad omen for les Monegasques, whose young team faces another season of mediocrity.

Star player: Victor Hugo Montano Youngster to watch: Johann Carrasso Top signing: Romain Pitau Objective: Survival A fine charge towards the end of the season, which came down to an effective final day promotion shoot-out against Strasbourg, saw Montpellier promoted back to Ligue 1 after an absence of five seasons. The top scorers in Ligue 2 last season would do well to look to the example of Le Havre, who scored freely in the second flight, but crumbled in Le Championnat, barely able to win a game because of their weak defence. Montpellier have focused on bolstering their midfield, with some established names coming in, such as Geoffrey Dernis. Their transfer campaign has given them a shot at survival, and they may just scrape to safety. Youngster to watch: Alfred N’Diaye Top signing: Reynald Lemaitre Objective: To better last season’s 15th place Nancy were brought back down to earth with a horrendous bump last season, as they staved off the threat of relegation after qualifying for Europe in the previous campaign.

The Stade Marcel-Pichot club are certainly not equipped to charge towards the continent with their current squad, but they are in a strong enough position to avoid the embarrassment of last season’s relegation battle. Correa’s sides always set out in a strong defensive manner and will look to counter-attack. If they stay injury free, they will be fine. Youngster to watch: David Ospina Top signing: Mamadou Bagayoko Objective: A high mid-table finish Led for the fourth season by Frederic Antonetti, Nice were in the nether regions of Ligue 1 for a long period of last term. Following a bright start, they proved to be a little inconsistent, dropping into a mid-table position, where they would ultimately stay until the conclusion of the season, neither troubling the European spots nor relegation zone. Antonetti left for Rennes at the end of the year, leaving the role vacant for Didier Olle-Nicole. There is therefore a degree of uncertainty as to how Nice will perform, but another mid-table campaign should be expected.

Cheeky | Loic Remy excelled with Nice last season Youngster to watch: Jires Ekoko Top signing: Ismael Bangoura Objective: European qualification Rennes suffered the frustration of missing out on a Europa League berth on the final day of last season, succumbing to off-field antics as a rift between the board and head coach Guy Lacombe widened. The former PSG boss didn’t get his contract renewed and Rennes were swift to move for Antonetti, an experienced Ligue 1 campaigner. Rennes always have a strong supply of academy graduates to come through and support the first team, so a slight lack of incoming transfer activity should not pose problems for their European aspirations. Youngster to watch: Mouhamadou Dabo Top signing: Guarani N’Daw Objective: Mid-table comfort Tipped for great things last year, Saint-Etienne fell flat on their faces as an injury crisis, abject form and controversies off the pitch over-shadowed what was a horrific campaign for les Verts, who flirted with Ligue 2 until the very last day of the season.

Alain Perrin’s squad has the talent to bounce back from that, despite losing Bafetimbi Gomis to Lyon, and could yet be active in the transfer market. The squad has plenty of ability, they must simply show it. Youngster to watch: Ryad Boudebouz Top signing: Jeremie Brechet Objective: A lower mid-table finish For the past two seasons Sochaux have successfully staved off relegation. A side that often experience one good season followed by one bad, les Lionceaux appear to have simply forgotten that last term should have been a relative success in the league and are poised for another difficult campaign. That said, they should possess a team that is ‘too good to go down’. Though they have lost Erding, who top scored last season, Sverkos finished the season brilliantly, and combined with USA international Charlie Davies should score the goals to fire Sochaux to safety. Brechet’s presence at the heart of the defence could make all the difference.

Child's Play | Gignac of Toulouse celebrates another goal Youngster to watch: Moussa Sissoko Top signing: Paulo Machado Objective: To challenge for Europe Le Tefece enjoyed a terrific campaign last season, fuelled by the goals of irrepressible striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who finished with 24 league strikes in total. Having been expected to struggle, Toulouse simply locked the back door, with Mauro Cetto imposing regularly, and waited for Gignac to score. There will be a little more guile about their play this season with Machado in midfield, but their solid base, which includes a formidable central pairing in the form of Moussa Sissoko and Etienne Capoue, should be maintained. Coach: Philippe Montanier Star player: Milan Bisevac Youngster to watch: Carlos Sanchez – one of the youngest players in the first team squad at 23 Top signing: Fahid Ben Khalfallah Objective: Further top flight consolidation Having lost coach Antoine Kombouare, who established the club as a respected Ligue 1 side, it is very much the start of a new era for Valenciennes under Montanier this season.

But it is not all bad news for VAFC, who can at least boast that their squad is in a stronger state than it was when they finished the season so strongly. The loss of Darcheville will hurt them, but the addition of Ben Khalfallah will add a little more attacking potency to the midfield, which will also have depth added to it by the addition of Remy Gomis. VA already boast a formidable central defensive pairing and should aim to once again maintain top flight status. Robin Bairner, Goal.com Related Ligue 1 - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics AS Monaco FC Did you know ... From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ligue 1 Ligue 1 2009–10 Ligue 1 is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system .

Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 2 . Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Ligue 2. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 38 games each totaling 380 games in the season. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January . Ligue 1 is one of the top national leagues, currently ranked fifth in Europe behind the English Premier League , Spanish La Liga , Italian Serie A , and the German Fußball-Bundesliga . The league is officially known as Ligue 1 Orange as it is sponsored by French telecommunications company Orange . Ligue 1 was inaugurated on 11 September 1932 under the name National before switching to Division 1 after a year of existence. The name lasted until 2002 before switching to its current name. The current champions are Bordeaux , who won their sixth title in the 2008–09 season .

With their title, Bordeaux ended a historic run by Olympique Lyonnais who had won seven consecutive titles prior to the season. Contents History Beginnings Prior to 1930 , professionalism in French football was non-existent. In July 1930, the National Council of the French Football Federation voted 128–20 in support of professionalism in French football. The founding fathers of professionalism in French football are Georges Bayrou, Emmanuel Gambardella, and Gabriel Hanot . Professionalism was officially implemented in 1932 . In order to successfully create a professional football league in the country, the Federation limited the league to twenty clubs. In order to participate in the competition, clubs were subjected to three important criteria: The incoming club must have had positive results in the past. The incoming club must be able to pull in enough revenue to balance its finances. The incoming club must be able to successfully recruit at least eight professional players.

Many clubs disagreed with the subjective criteria, most notably Strasbourg , RC Roubaix , Amiens SC , and Stade Français , while others like Rennes and Olympique Lillois were reluctant to become professional due to a variety of reasons, mostly due to fear of bankruptcy with Rennes and a conflict of interest with the latter club, as the team's president Henri Jooris also served as chairman of the Ligue du Nord. Jooris feared his league would fold and proposed it become the second division of the new league. Eventually, many clubs earned professional status, though it became more difficult to convince Northern clubs with Strasbourg, RC Roubaix, and Amiens still refusing to accept the new league, though Mulhouse , Excelsior AC Roubaix , Metz , and Fives accepted professionalism. On the other side, clubs in the south of France such as Olympique de Marseille , Hyères , SO Montpellier , SC Nîmes , Cannes , Antibes , and Nice were extremely supportive of the new league and accepted their professional status without argument. Pre-war years Ligue 1 has been an all-professional league since its inception in 1932.

Because of World War II , the LFP suspended play for the 1939–1940 through 1944–1945 seasons, although its member clubs continued playing in regional competitions. (For the 1943–44 season, the Vichy regime abolished professionalism, but professional clubs operated during the other war years.) Since the end of World War II, the French first division has switched several times between an 18- and a 20-team format, the latter being in force today and having the preference of clubs in spite of a busier schedule for the players. The 20 Ligue 1 teams play each other twice (home and away) during the season for a 38-match schedule. At the end of the season, the bottom three teams in the division are relegated to Ligue 2 , and are replaced by the top three teams of Ligue 2. This particular promotion and relegation format, in place since 1995, is a relative novelty in the French top flight.

The traditional format has long been direct relegation of the bottom two teams and a play-off between the third-last first-division team and the winner of the second-division play-offs. Currently, the top three teams in Ligue 1 qualify for the Champions League , with the top two proceeding directly to the group phase. The third-placed team enters in the final qualifying round. The fourth- and fifth-placed teams qualify for the Europa League . The sixth- and seventh-placed teams can also qualify, depending on results in the two domestic cup competitions. Point allocation follows the international standard with three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. The three-point rule was adopted in 1994 after a one-time test in the 1988–89 season. From 1973 to 1976, a "bonus" rule rewarded teams scoring three or more goals in a game with one extra point, regardless of outcome, with the objective of encouraging offensive play. The experience was ultimately inconclusive. Ligue 1 teams standing on equal points are ranked by goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded) and, if still even, by the number of goals scored.

Until 1966, the league used goal average (the ratio of goals scored to goals conceded) instead of goal difference to break ties on points. This system actually favored the defensive over the offensive, as shown by the outcome of the 1961–62 season: Stade de Reims edged Racing Club de Paris for the title by a 0.018 difference in goal average and was crowned champion on equal points in spite of equal goal difference (83–60 vs. 86–63) and fewer goals scored. Ligue 1 is generally regarded as competently run, with good planning of fixtures, complete and consistently enforced rules, timely resolution of issues, and adequate escalation procedures of judicial disputes to national or international institutions. It has faced three significant corruption scandals in its history (Olympique d'Antibes in 1933, Red Star in the 1950s, and Olympique de Marseille in 1993) and has preserved its reputation every time through swift and appropriately severe punishment of the guilty parties.

Criticism Only one team has reached the current record of 10 league titles ( Saint-Étienne ), and the title has regularly been highly disputed with several teams from small-sized French cities, often with no previous major national title. However, Olympique Lyonnais ' recent run of seven consecutive Ligue 1 championships has led them to dominate the French footballing horizon during the 2000's . Only two French teams ( Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille ) have won European cup titles, a record considerably inferior to lower ranked leagues in Europe like the Dutch Eredivisie or the Portuguese Liga . Current teams (2009–10) Valenciennes FC Ligue 1 teams in European competitions The original European Cup of 1955–56 featured Real Madrid against Stade de Reims-Champagne , finishing in a 4–3 victory for the Spanish side. In 1958–59, Reims and Real Madrid faced off once again, and once again the French side lost, this time by a score of 2–0.

After Stade de Reims-Champagne fell from prominence, Ligue 1 had trouble producing strong sides that could compete with the rest of Europe. However, in the 1975–76 European Cup Saint-Étienne defeated European powerhouses such as Rangers , Dynamo Kyiv and PSV until they reached the final losing to defending champions Bayern Munich . The following year, Saint-Étienne advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champions Liverpool . Saint-Étienne entered a dry spell after a short period of dominance and the 1980s produced no significant French clubs ready to conquer Europe. Finally in 1990–91 Olympique de Marseille , with scoring phenomenon Jean-Pierre Papin , advanced all the way to the final before falling to Red Star Belgrade on penalties. When the European Cup rebranded to the UEFA Champions League , Marseille unleashed havoc on the competition. Les Olympiens won Group A and suddenly found themselves in the final against AC Milan . Basile Boli hit home the winning goal in the 44th minute, winning the Champions League for Marseille.

In 1996, Paris Saint-Germain won the second and last French European title, beating Rapid Wien in the final of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with a Bruno N'Gotty 's freekick. The 2003–04 UEFA Champions League saw underdogs AS Monaco win their group over Deportivo La Coruña , PSV and AEK Athens to advance to the Round of 16. Monaco did not stop there, triumphing over Lokomotiv Moscow , Real Madrid , and Chelsea until they reached the final. FC Porto ended the run with a 3–0 victory. In the past few years, Olympique Lyonnais entered the European stage, which saw them reach the last 16 stage of the Champions League in 2006–07 and 2007–08 , and reach the quarter-finals in 2003–04 , 2004–05 and 2005–06 .

Previous Winners 179 (Ø 0,77) Other records Juninho , among others, holds the record of most Ligue 1 titles for a player with 7 Most titles : Sidney Govou , Grégory Coupet , Juninho (Lyon): (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008) Jean-Michel Larqué and Hervé Revelli of Saint-Étienne , 7 times champions (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976) Most consecutive minutes without conceding : Jérémie Janot , Saint-Étienne, 1276 minutes without conceding in 2005–2006 Goals in single season : Josip Skoblar , Marseille , 44 (1970–1971) Goals in single match : 7 , Jean Nicolas , Rouen , 1938 against Valenciennes ; André Ab

egglen ( Sochaux ) 1935 against Valenciennes Most games scored in a row : Vahid Halilhodzic ( Nantes ) 9 matches in a row – 1984–1985 Most red cards : Cyril Rool : 19 (as of end of 2005–2006) Youngest player : Laurent Paganelli , Saint-Étienne 15 years 10 months Youngest to score a hat trick : Jérémy Menez , Sochaux, 22 January 2005 against Bordeaux – &0000000000000017.00000017 years, &0000000000000260.000000260 days Statistics by clubs (1932–1939 and 1945–2009) Club Football in France, Introduction to the French Football System Women's football Championnat de France de football féminin (Female Football France Championship) Other famous French football cups are the Coupe de France (France cup),

 Coupe de la Ligue (league cup) and Trophée des Champions (Champions' Trophy).

The latter is a game played between the Coupe de France winner and the Ligue 1 championship winner. The Coupe de la Ligue is a competition with only professional clubs playing while the Coupe de France is open to any French club. In 1998, the national team became world champion, surprising everyone and creating a huge pride amongst the French people. This remains an historic moment in people’s minds, the nation unity was even reinforced then. More than the football victory itself, the important side of this event was this feeling of community, which is often threatened by social, political or economic divisions in the French society. 1352 But France’s performance in the World Cup in 2002 recalled painful times when France was a weak contender in world and European football. Today, football plays a unique role in the French society, players as well as coaches are highly regarded internationally. Average Price of Tickets The average price of tickets is about €10/ €20 for a local game to €100 for an international game at a Parisian stadium for instance. Most tickets during the year cost around €30/ €40 if you want a good seat in a popular stand.

Hooligans Hooliganism is a rare phenomenon in France these days but problems can occur after football games, especially those involving the teams of Marseille and Paris, or during international competitions. If you are caught by the police while damaging public places, shops or fighting with other football fans, you face massive fines and even a prison term. The French authorities could also ban you from all stadiums in the country on a permanent basis. Main Ligue 1 Teams Marseille Marseille is a city located in the South East of France. Founded in 1899, its team was a European champion a decade ago and it still struggles to achieve that goal again. The shirt is light-blue and white. The home stadium of the team is the Stade Vélodrome located in Marseille. Marseille is one of the top French football teams and is regularly in the top 10 teams of the French championship competition. The motto of the team is “straight to the goal”. 1349 Bordeaux Bordeaux is a city located in the South West of France. This is a discreet but very powerful team being 2nd of the French championship on a regular basis. The club was founded in 1881. The shirt is dark blue and white.

The home stadium of the Girondins de Bordeaux is the Stade Chaban Delmas, inaugurated in 1938. The current coach of the team is Laurent Blanc, one of tthe 1998 world cup winners. The badge of the team features the number “1881”, refering to the date of foundation and the strong tradition of the team. 1348 Paris Paris is the French capital city. Its team has often been criticized for its lack of results in the national championships though it includes many great players. The club was created only in 1970. The home stadium of the team is the Parc des Princes (“princes’ garden”). The current coach is Paul Le Guen. This team has very unstable results, offering the best as the worst performances. The badge of the team represents the Eiffel Tower as a shelter for a baby buggy (representing the team?). 1351 Lyon This club was created in 1950. During the last few years, Lyon has been several times champion of France, with remarkable achievements and many great players composing the team.

Lyon is the third city of France by the number of inhabitants, and is a pretty young city (when it comes to the age of the inhabitants). The shirt is all white when playing at home. The home stadium of the team is the Stade Gerland. It is the only club in France to have won 7 championship titles in a row (in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008). 1350 French Football League (Ligue 1) Frixo › Sportsbook › Articles › French Football League (Ligue 1) French Football League (Ligue 1) Get ï¿½200 Deposit Bonus - Claim ï¿½200 (with 100% initial deposit bonus) - Open an account and deposit any amount up to ï¿½200 and Bet365 will match it.

Collect ï¿½30 Free - Claim ï¿½30 in free bets - Open an account and place a 3 consecutive bets of ï¿½10 - Ladbrokes will match your bets up to ï¿½30 Collect a ï¿½50 free bet Collect a ï¿½50 free bet Sportsbook Offers FA Cup The top flight of French football leagues belongs to Ligue 1, previously known as Division 1 and still referred to by many as ï¿½Le Championnat.ï¿½ The league consists of 20 elite teams, with each of them playing a schedule of 38 games between August and May. At the end of the season, three teams are promoted from the second division Ligue 2, while three Ligue 1 teams are relegated. In the UEFA rankings, Ligue 1 holds the sixth position among all national leagues in Europe. Succeeding in Spite of Conflict The early history of French football was marred by organizational disputes, particularly disagreements over the role of professionalism in sports.

Oddly enough, the world governing body for association football, FIFA, was established in Paris, France in 1904, even as the nationï¿½s two leading football authorities, the Comitï¿½ Franï¿½ais Interfï¿½dï¿½ral (CFI) and the Union des Sociï¿½tï¿½s Franï¿½aises de Sports Athlï¿½tiques (USFSA), were squabbling over representation in the 1908 Olympics. They ended up send two separate teams that year, which was a complete debacle in the eyes of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Continuance of the rivalry thereafter resulted in no French representation for football in the 1912 Summer Games. In 1913, the IOC turned its affiliation with France from the USFSA to the CFI, which had developed strong ties with FIFA since 1907. In 1917, CFI organised the first Coupe de France (French Cup), a national knockout competition open to all football clubs, amateur and professional, even though professionalism at that time was non-existent. The inaugural tournament featured 48 clubs.

It was won by Olympique de Pantin, who triumphed over FC Lyon by a score of 3ï¿½0 in front of 2,000 spectators at the Stade de la Lï¿½gion Saint-Michel in Paris. In 1919, CFI reformed itself as the Fï¿½dï¿½ration Franï¿½aise de Football Association (FFFA). Two years later, the USFSA officially merged with the federation, setting the stage for an era of cooperation and leadership in French football. In 1930, the National Council of the FFFA voted 128ï¿½20 in support of professionalism in French football, leading to the formation of the 14-team National League in 1932 and its first champion, Olympique Lillois, in 1932-33. A year later the leagueï¿½s name was changed to Division 1 and two more teams were added in 1934ï¿½35 along with a promotion/relegation system.

Meanwhile, the Coupe de France was becoming increasing popular, alternating among many stadiums, from the Parc des Princes to the Stade Pershing and Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir in Colombes as well as the Stade de Paris. Although World War Two caused the suspension of all professional football activities, clubs continued to play in regional competitions. After the war, Division 1 football resumed with the allotment of teams increased to 18. By 1948, the number of clubs participating in the annual Coupe de France had increased to over 1,000, causing numerous preliminary rounds to be added. For the 1965-66 season, Division 1 grew to the current 20 teams, and in 2002, the present name ï¿½Ligue 1ï¿½ was adopted. Creating Domestic Champions Nowadays, the annual Coupe de France competition features more than 7,000 clubs, with eight regional rounds and some regions holding as many as ten, leading up to 14 rounds of single elimination.

Because the competition is so large and full of amateurs, the professional teams of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 have also held their own ï¿½Coupe de la Ligueï¿½ tournament since 1994, with the first League Cup title going to Paris Saint-Germain for a 2ï¿½0 finals victory over Bastia. To date, three clubs have won a trio of League Cupsï¿½Olympique de Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain and FC Girondins de Bordeaux. The professional club with the most Coupe de France victories is Olympique de Marseille with ten. As for Ligue 1 championships, AS Saint-ï¿½tienne are the leader with ten, while Olympique Lyonnais have seven. Internationally, however, French clubs have not fared well, with only two having ever won a European competition. In 1992-93, Marseille claimed the European Cup (now UEFA Champions League) and Paris Saint-Germain won the 1996 Cup Winners Cup (discontinued in 1999). Coming into the 2013-14 season, Paris Saint-Germain were the reigning champions.

Most recently relegated were Brest, Nancy and Troyes, while promotions from Ligue 2 brought up champions Monaco, runners-up Guingamp and third-place Nantes. The other 16 clubs hoping to gain the Ligue 1 title are Ajaccio, Bastia, Bordeaux, ï¿½vian, Lille, Lorient, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice, Reims, Rennes, Saint-ï¿½tienne, Sochaux, Toulouse and Valenciennes. Comment on this article Official Bordeaux Football Shirts & New Kit Releases Bordeaux 2016/17 Puma Away Shirt French Ligue 1 club Bordeaux showcase their latest away shirt for use within the 2016/17 season. Taking inspiration from their away shirt of the early 1990's, worn by the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Bordeaux's all-new away shirt returns to the elegant colour-way of white and burgundy for 2016/17 aw [...] French Ligue 1 club Bordeaux showcase their latest away shirt for use within the 2016/17 season.

Taking inspiration from their away shirt of the early 1990's, worn by the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Bordeaux's all-new away shirt returns to the elegant colour-way of white and burgundy for 2016/17 aw [...] Bordeaux 2016/17 Puma Home Shirt Last season's mid-table finishers Bordeaux get handed one of the most unique shirts of the off-season to date by Puma. After a fairly substandard Ligue 1 campaign for the famous French club of Bordeaux, Puma attempt to reignite the team's pedigree by producing a truly nostalgic home shirt seeing [...] Last season's mid-table finishers Bordeaux get handed one of the most unique shirts of the off-season to date by Puma. After a fairly substandard Ligue 1 campaign for the famous French club of Bordeaux, Puma attempt to reignite the team's pedigree by producing a truly nostalgic home shirt seeing [...] Bordeaux 2016/17 Puma Third Shirt Bordeaux and kit suppliers Puma use the city's scenic landscape as the forefront of design criteria for the club's latest third shirt.

Ligue 1 outfit Bordeaux will undoubtedly showcase one of the most visually striking third shirts within 2016/17 through a Puma design which uses the city's headli [...] Bordeaux and kit suppliers Puma use the city's scenic landscape as the forefront of design criteria for the club's latest third shirt. Ligue 1 outfit Bordeaux will undoubtedly showcase one of the most visually striking third shirts within 2016/17 through a Puma design which uses the city's headli [...] Bordeaux 15/16 PUMA Home, Away & Third Kits Ligue 1 side Bordeaux have officially launched their new home, away and third kits for the 2015-16 season.

Again made by PUMA Football, the new home shirt for Bordeaux again uses the trademark white chevron design but this time round an additional white pinstripe design is used [...] Ligue 1 side Bordeaux have officially launched their new home, away and third kits for the 2015-16 season [...] Ligue 1: Preview + Predictions – Week 19 Ligue 1: Preview + Predictions – Week 19 This is the last Ligue 1 weekend before the break, with the Coupe de France when they return – no one wants to end on a sour note. EA Guingamp v Stade Rennais: Saturday 19:00 – @rich_allen85 It’s a Breton derby with added bite on Saturday as Guingamp host Rennes. Both sides are on pretty miserable runs of late and whilst Guingamp coach Jocelyn Gourvennec perhaps starts to feel the pressure after a poor run of form saw his club drop into the relegation zone, it’s his opposite number on Saturday night who will be feeling the most heat.

After crashing out of the Coupe de la Ligue at home to Toulouse, Philippe Montanier was escorted by security upon leaving the stadium as he was confronted by angry fans. This derby therefore could be make or break for Montanier. Team news won’t make for comfortable reading for Montanier; long term absencees Paul-Georges Ntep, Ludovic Baal and Edson Mexer were joined on Tuesday night by Pedro Mendes, out for a number of weeks with a knee injury. Montanier will be forced into a far from ideal Sylvain Armand and Fallou Diagne centre back pairing. Yacouba Sylla, sent off in that Toulouse defeat, will be suspended for the game. The return of Juan Quintero then will provide the smallest crumb of comfort for the under pressure coach. Guingamp themselves have have hardly covered themselves in glory in recent weeks. Four consecutive league defeats saw Gourvennec’ side take their turn in the relegation zone. Whilst three of those defeats were away from home, it’s still cause for concern.

Temporary salvation was taken in their penalty shoot out win over Nice midweek and they will be looking to kick on from that to give their fans something to cheer prior to the winter break. Yannis Salibur is the man in form for Guingamp as his two goals against Nice took him to five in total across the league and cup, all since the end of October. The game against his formative club could come too soon for Jimmy Briand who has been out with a hamstring injury. This has the potential to be a fiery game and with so much at stake it could be one where cards outweigh goals. Whichever team can keep their composure will be the one that comes out on top. Toulouse FC v Lille OSC: Saturday 19:00 – @Gibney_A Saturday night’s clash at the Stade Municipal is an intriguing battle between two teams that have enjoyed both tough and exciting times this season. Lille are on an unthinkable run of form right at the moment. Their 1-0 win over Laval in the Coupe de la Ligue on Tuesday is their fourth win in a row since Frederic Antonetti took over.

Past the initial 2-0 defeat to Angers on the Corsican boss’s debut, Les Dogues may still have issues to iron out, but things are looking up. Although they are still in 19th position, the same could be said for Dominique Arribage’s team. Two of their three wins this season have come over the last four games. Add to that the 3-1 cup win away against Rennes, and you can almost call it form. Youth has been the key for Le Téfécé: Zinedine Machach, Alban Lafont, and Issa Diop amongst others have taken the opportunities handed to them. If Arribage wants to continue up the table he will need his experienced players to step up too. It could also be Wissam Ben Yedder’s last home game in the purple and white shirt – three points would be the perfect Christimas/Leaving present.

Girondins de Bordeaux v Olympique de Marseille: Sunday 20:00 – @jeremysmith98 Not so long ago, Bordeaux vs Marseille was a nasty grudge match stoked up by the humungous egos of two rival presidents (Claude Bez and Bernard Tapie). Since then the two clubs have competed for the title (Bordeaux pipping OM on the final day in 1999 and 2009) and the cup (Marseille beating the Girondins in the Coupe de la Ligue final in 2010). However, the two teams’ recent decline means that this match fails to stir the blood as it once did; arguably the most interesting aspect is whether Bordeaux can keep up their amazing record of not having lost at home to OM since 1977, despite now being in a new home and Marseille having an excellent recent away record. Wednesday’s impressive 3-0 win over Monaco in the Coupe de la Ligue will have slightly cheered up under-pressure Willy Sagnol, after only one win in their last seven Ligue 1 matches has left the club just three points above the drop zone.

Star of the show was undoubtedly 19-year-old Adam Ounas, who scored the first and terrorised the Monegasque defence all evening with his dribbling and all-round energy. On Sunday he’ll be able to show whether he is able to turn it on twice in five days at this early stage in his career. If not, Bordeaux may be able to rely on Diego Rolan – remember him? – who is in his best form for a very long time, having scored three times in the last week. The Bordeaux squad is still hard-hit by injuries, and the likes Wahbi Khazri, Cédric Carrasso and Henri Saivet – who is reborn as a defensive midfielder – will need to step up to stop the Ligue 1 rot. Marseille’s hard-fought 3-2 Coupe de la Ligue win over Bourg-en-Bresse in midweek was their sixth straight away win in all competitions – in marked contrast to their form at the Vélodrome, where they have not won in Ligue 1 since August. In order to keep up that impressive away record, Michel’s men will no doubt have to rely on their attack.

The defence continues to look poor and, while 20-year-old Stéphane Sparagna did not have a bad game against Bourg, conceding two penalties (the first very unluckily) suggests he may not yet be the man to calm OM’s jitters at the back. Up front, however, Remy Cabella scored his third in his last five, Lucas Ocampos scored his second in three and Bouna Sarr put away his second in four, showing again that he is worth more than the odd substitute appearance. Top scorer Michy Batshuayi did not score but still played an hour – with so few centre forward options Michel could not afford to rest him, and the Belgian must be looking forward to the Christmas break more than most. In the last Ligue 1 match before the trève, it would be nice to witness a little goalfest. This may depend on whether Bordeaux come out to play. Either way, Marseille should just have enough to end their hoodoo. PREDICTIONS TIPS Tough week to call, and the FFW predictions reflect that well. PSG are the easy pick – it’s hard to see them slipping up against Caen.

Monaco should finish the year on a high, beating winless Troyes away from home – then the kicker. Five of the team think that Lorient will beat Nantes at home. Les Merlus have the fifth-best home record in the league and their last home loss came against Paris Saint-Germain. £5 on all three would win you around £31. Share this:

Question: Which French Football Ligue 1 team's name includes the title Girondins?
Answer: Bordeaux